Russia and China are getting ready to sign a cooperation agreement on the hydrogen-powered Snezhinka Arctic station, Nikolay Korchunov, Ambassador-at-Large of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told RIA Novosti.

The diplomat highlighted that the plans to establish the station are still in effect, with the construction of this facility in the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area (YNAA) ongoing. Among foreign partners, China shows the greatest interest in the project, Korchunov pointed out.

'The PRC Ministry of Science and Technology has chosen Harbin Engineering University as a partner for the Russian coordinator in the creation of the Snezhinka station,' he shared with the agency. 'All interested scientific and educational organisations, as well as PRC companies, are welcome to join this project.'

Russia is open to fostering mutually advantageous scientific collaborations in the Arctic and is ready to consider potential proposals from other nations for cooperation within the Snezhinka project, he noted.

The Snezhinka International Arctic Station is set to be a fully self-sufficient complex running on renewable energy and hydrogen, without the need for diesel fuel. The station will be made up of several dome-shaped buildings interconnected by passages. The top view of the buildings resembles a snowflake, hence the name of the station project.